I have loved photography since I was a kid. I would have photo shoots with my stuffed animals and my cat. I lost the desire while working and going to college full time. However, it came back in full force once I had kids. Of course, they are my favorite models. While, I use a simple camera, I have learned some tips to taking better pictures.
Five Steps to Taking Better Pictures of your Kids
1. Get on their level. This is pretty basic but very important. Your pictures will look better from an angle standpoint if you bend down rather then pointing the camera down.
2. Be playful and get the talking. I have found that the best way for me to get natural smiles and playful shots is to be playful and to have a natural conversation. I bring out the camera when the kids are playing in the sandbox, at the park, or when we are just sitting around playing games and talking. Always have a camera within reach and capture the moment not a pose.
3. Take lots of shots. With digital cameras and cameras in phones, you can take plenty of shots in no time. The more shots you take the more good shots you will get. You also increase your chances of getting that one perfect shoot fit to hang on your wall.
4. Simple backgrounds. Keep the backgrounds simple with few distractions. Be aware of what is appearing in the lens such as a telephone pole coming out of your kid’s head.
5. Get close. If your child is your focal point then get in really close. Fill the frame with your your child. I have so many pictures that looked great except I was not zoomed in enough. Most pictures look better when the focal point is zoomed in on.